Today is a second wave of demonstrations in front of schools in Quebec. This initiative is supported by the “Let’s put an end to road insecurity on the school route” movement. Created by parents and other citizens after the death of little Mariia Legenkovska who was walking to school, these gatherings succeeded in attracting the attention of local authorities and the Government of Quebec. However, quickly, as was predictable, the news quickly made us forget this sad event. Fortunately, there is this new awareness day to remind us of the importance of acting more quickly.
We know the song, it’s not the first time that we have experienced such events. Each time we say to ourselves: “Not one more death! Then it falls into oblivion, again. Despite the best efforts of local governments and communities to put effective measures in place locally, the death toll of pedestrians on the roads is getting worse every year. It is absolutely untenable.
Why, after all these years, are we unable to induce a profound change that would definitively reverse the trend? The answer could be found, or rather not be found, in the Quebec Highway Safety Code (CSR) and volume 5 of the latter. Volume 5 is the document that frames and enacts road signs.
Strictly speaking, humans do not exist in these road frameworks. That’s where the whole problem lies. It is primarily used to prevent vehicles from colliding with other road users and not specifically to protect humans on the move. It marks out the harmonious and coordinated movement of means of road transport.
Let us underline an important aspect of the role of the Code. Those who sign the development plans and road signs, the engineers and the technical agents, have the obligation to refer to the CSR and to volume 5. Consequently, if it is not in the documents, they cannot sign plans and authorizations. So, if a community wants to experiment with new types of development, without prescribed frameworks, it becomes difficult to be agile and to adapt quickly. We can do pilot projects, but that will remain a temporary measure.
On February 14, the Association québécoise des transports (AQTr) launched its brief Taking a new step in road safety in Quebec. In its 60-page document, produced by dozens of mobility experts, the AQTr comes to the conclusion that it is imperative to change the CSR to induce major changes. Without an in-depth transformation of the Code, there is no salvation. The Association calls for a modernization of the Code to prioritize active modes of mobility.
She adds this: “In order to take a new step in road safety in Quebec, it is time to change the discourse. Mobility is not automobile, it is human. The unprotected user is not a vulnerable user, he is a user in his own right. Trips made by automobile do not have priority over other types of trip. The automobile generates the majority of road safety problems on the network. »
It is a cry from the heart for a profound cultural change. It is also this cry from the heart that today these people who demonstrate in front of schools are launching. They ask for changes in manners on the road. This is no longer the time for awareness campaigns. Let’s be honest, we have seen the complete failure of this method for a long time. We have to take out the big regulatory arsenal and force changes.
Local governments and communities need new tools to innovate and experiment with developments that will respond to their reality. They know their needs better than anyone. These needs are also different from one city to another and from one district to another. The wall-to-wall standardization of the CSR and Volume 5 is inadequate. To do things differently, we must have more flexible legalization.
Cities cannot change or modify the CSR and Volume 5. If we want to act faster and have more agility, we should allow them to do so. This would provide an opportunity to better support living environments that want to take charge by experimenting with new measures. It must be remembered, the powers are in Quebec, but the needs are in the cities.
This crucial task falls to the Minister of Transport of Quebec. It must first tackle the reform of CSR and bring about a radical change in culture. Because what is happening on our roads is radical, it is violence against humans. This work must be based on two principles: the protection of humans and greater autonomy for local governments.